Automotive equipment



Sept. 20,1927.

T P. M. KRANTZ AUTOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT 2 Sheets-Shed'. 1

Filed Dec.15. 192,6`

sept. 2o, 1927. R M. KRANTZ AUTOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT Filed Dec. i3. 192e 2 sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 20, 1927.

UNITED STATES A l 1,642,960. PATENT ori-11er..

PHILIP 1VI. KRANTZ, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AUTOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT.

Application filed December 13, 1926.V Serial No. 154,502.`

pose to lfacilitate rolling movement of Vthevehicle, as for travel,*particularly is emergencies, or steeringlwhile 1n rolling-travel,

in emergencies or tight places; the inven-v tion further having in mind,l preferably, an equipment also so constructed and operable as to afford, when desired, tire-inflation means, and/0 11 anti-theft means, utilizing products-of combustion from the motor-,or engine.

One of the objects `of the invention is to provide means for jack-ing up any desired wheel of the'- vehicle by pneumatic power. Another 'object fis to provide means for selectively pneumatically jacking a. desired plurality of the wheels, at front and rear ends of the vehicle, say wheels the tires of which have unexpectedly collapsed into flats, while keeping nevertheless one of v the rear ortractive wheels in road contact.

Another object' is to provide the aforesaid jack means so that they may be actuated by engine-exhaustgas handling, to elevate or lower a desired wheel, and preferably from the drivers seat; thereby to facilitate .tire-changing. i

LAnother object is to provide the aforesaid jack-means softhat vthey maybe actu-` ated by engine-eXhaust-gas handling, to elevate or lower a desired wheel, and prefer` ably from the drivers seat, `thereupon to permit rolling travel ofthe vehicle, partly on its non-flat tire or tires and partly on wheel-means on a jack or jacks, and under power from the vehicles engine, say to a handy garage, vfor tire'repair or the like.

Another object is to -provide the aforesaid jack-means so that they may be actuated by engine-eXhaustgas handling, to elevate or lower desired Wheel, and preferably from the driVersseat, preparatory to leaving the vehicle for al time unattended; thereby to dispose the vehicle in an abnormal condition and one such thattravel Vof the vehicle by an unauthorized occupant'will be made slow and diilicult, ifpossiblev at all,

" since` such travel may be notice to apolice vofficer to call on the occupant to show his credentials of ownership, or right to be operating the automotive vehicle. Another object is to provide theaforesaid )ack-means so that they may be actuated by engine-eXhaust-,gas handling, to elevate ory lower a desired wheel, and preferably from the drivers seat, and so vthat .then pneumatic means, preferably alsoincluding the engine exhaust, may be employed to reinflate a deflated tire or tires. i

Another object is to provide the aforesaid jack-means so that they may be actu ated by engine-eXhaust-gas handling, to elevate or lower a desired wheel,-and preferably from the drivers seat; yet an equipment such that, when engine trouble is such as to prevent said engine-eXhaust-gas handling, said jaclnmeans may be operated to elevatea flat tire or tires, and then said tire or tires may be reinflated, and then said jack-meansmaybe operated to lower the reintiated tire or ytires to road contact, independent of exhaust-gas supply by the en- Another object is to provide the aforesaid jaclr-means so that they may `be actuated by engine-eXhaust-gas handling, toelevate or-lower a desired wheel, and preferably from thedrivers seat, and so that vthen said jack-means may be Vadjusted variously and atlntervals, and from the driversseat,

vif both frontwvheels have been elevated, to Y steer the car while being rolled, under its own power or otherwise, to the nearest garage. A v

l am aware it has heretofore been suggested, in attempts to solve some 'of the above indicated occasionally lencountered yet annoying' and Asometimes serious problems of the motorist,v to employ rollerequipped jacks, and Veven to `mount these jacks on horizontal pivots, as I recommend in the case of the present invention, for normally holding the jacks extended parallel to the wheel-base, that is, at right angles to their working-extensions. I' lam also aware that it has heretofore been suggested that .engine power be used, as by a talle-oit gear from the propeller-shaft, or from an element ofthe variable-transmission gearset,thus mechanically to'operate a jack for wheel-elevation; and, further, `vthat fluidpressureY means (as for instance, in `U. S.

v`Patent No. 1,161,706) have been mechanicala lowersection 30 suspendingfthe wheels 29 and slidingly receiving an upper section 31. Normally, due to ra'palr of retractile springs i shown at 32 in Fig. 2 and attheir bottoms secured to lugs on the section 30 and at their tops to lugslr on the section31 marked 31a in Fig. 3, the jach is collapsed .as shown in Fig. 4. Within the chamber formed between the jack sections, which chamber is preferably always closedall over by a metal or other dillicultly puncturable wall, is a rubber.

or other suitable inflatable bag 32, the interior of which is inv communication at all times through a nipple 33, with a metal-armored flexible tube 34 yconnected to a metalffluid-r conduit 35 leading to a control valve indicated at 36 in Fig. 1. Said conduitl terminates at said valve, as indicated in Figs. 8

and 9 at 35r or 351, according as the jack is at the'rear right or yrear left of the vehicle.

Referring now to the front jack F, the pintle 21 passes ythrough a foot 37 dependent from a C-casting 38 securedat 3 39 to front axle 10, this pintle also passing through a pair of ears 40 lat the top of the jack. J ack F also includes telescopin'g sections. herey marked'respectively 30 Vand 31. Ears 40 are integral 'with a vertical pintle, or jacksteering post, 41, rotatably set in the top plate of upper section 31." This jack is preferably constructed, as to the chamber between the two sections and as to their contents andthe connection tosaid chamber, as are the jacks already described; except that a protector disc 42 is inserted above the in flatable bag 32. Normally,the jack, like the rear'jacks L and R, is held swung upwardly and yforwardly of the pintle 21,.to displace the centers ofthe wheels'29 through 90 in a clockwisev direction, from the location shown; due tothe action. of a retractile sJrinO 42 attached at its tr 3er end to a.

' bracketauxiliary 43 and at its lower end to a lug 43 on lower section 30. Also normally, due to a pair of retractile springs 44 mounted as sho-wn, the jackV F is collapsed as indicated Vin Figs. 5, 6 and 7. v

As shown in the case of the rear jack of Fi 4, the interior of the inflatable bag within the front jack F is in communication at all tiniesuby way of ay flexible shaft 46, with a metal fluid-conduit 45, leading to the control valve 36 of Fig. 1 and to the interior of the valve casing 3 6a as indicated at 45f in Figs. 8 andk 9. The fourth tap'into the interior oi' said valve casing 36ais that indicated at 46', which .latter isr a continuation of the conduitshown at 46'in Fig. 1 as constituting a branch from motor-exhaust pipe 16.v

.Referring to Fig. 1, *there are also here provided, inthe present casealso on the dashboard 14, four manual actuators as indicated at A", Af, Af and A1. Such-details of construction of each of these actuators as is necessary to Ybe here `shown are indicated in Fig. 2, where the actuator A1' is illustrated.

Each of the actuators Af', Af and A1, is thus indicated; as desirably beingof the well known'type whereof an outer .sleeve plunger. A2 is so associated with an inner rod-plunger A3,. that on pulling with the lingers on the underside of a flange V all the parts contained-within amounting and guide collar 47 may bemoved in the direction indicated by the arrow o to actuate theproperoperf ative connection to swing the associated jack down to vertical extension below the proper axle of the vehicle; while pressing down on the button H (such pressure releasing the ratchet device which has allowed the sleevef plunger'lt2 only to be moved upwardly as just described, without slip-back whenever released), permits all the part-s slidable in collar 47 now to slip-back, that is, to move in the direction indicated by the arrow it, to normal position, thereby to allow restora tion of the jack to yhorizontal vposition close up under the proper axle, responsive to the retract-ile springy 27 (Fig. 2) 0r 42` (Fig. 5). Referring now to the operative connections between these actuators and the jacks, @e

the connection from the front jack F to its actuator Af on thevdash-board 14, includes al cable 48, ruiming from the lower end of they sleeve-plunger of the actuator,y over lpulley (Fig, 1) and pulleys 50, 51 and 52 (Figs. 1 and 5) to an ear carried by the front jack F as indicated at 53 (Figs. 5 vand 6).

T he connections from the rear left jack L'to its actuator A1 on the ydash-board 14, includes, as shown in Fig. 2, a cable 54 running from the actuator, over a pulley 55.

Vto the shorter 'arm Vof a bell-crank lever 56,

pivoted at 56a; and a rod 'pivoted Vat ,its upper' end to the longer arm of the' bellcrank lever andv at its lowerend to an ear on the jack; Finally, as tothe rear right jack R, there is employed an operative connection from the actuatorv A1', including a rod, lever, and cable (not shown) similar to the rod 57, lever 56 and cable 54, and one or more pulleysA (not shown) for guiding the cable. Such pulleys may be in diiferent planes if necessary;` for instance, like the pulleys guiding the cable as shown in Figs, 1, 5 and 6.

The actuator Ae, also, may be exactly similar to the other actuators already kdescribed; in which case a cable shown at 59 in Fig. 1 may be pulled toward the front of the vehicle or'payed out toward vthe rear of the vehicle, according as the actuator is pulled toward or allowed to recede away from the driver ofthe vehicle and thus operated according to the intended method of operation of this type of actuator as `already deseribed. The actuator A thus may be employed lo closing or opening' the exhaust pipe li hy opening a valve (30 againat a :spring (5l. on pulling' the eable 52) forward. and perinittingl said spring to close said valve, on paying` out the cable in a rearward direction.

The preaent invention may alao ineorporato dirigibiiity oli the front jack l?, from the steering wheel 1S, when that jack has been di posed and operated to litt the iront Wheels oli' the road *ay, and the ear is in movement: and to thisl end the liolloiving parte` are shown in Figs. l, and t3: 'lhe top plate ot ,'-jeetiim ill oll the jack is rearwardly extended ai: an arm Si having a lork al iteI rear end. (ln 'the erosiii-rod l?) ia a eollar lil having a` depending arni terminating; at i. e lower end in a ball. This l'orii-ainl-ball pivotal eonneetion permite the eonneetion to be automatically broken when 'lro'nt jaeh ll is @Wong up horizontal to nor-- inally retraeteiil position. and permits the Connection to he oasi-ily reatored when the jael; is lowered to vertieal or Worhing: position. During the niaintel'iuneo ol s-aid pivotal eonueetion, obviously. turning4 olf the steering wheel will steer -the itinere, b v way oit the Wheels .29 ot the front jaeh, exaetly as; the steering wheel is automatically ini-:ed to Steer the vehicle by vway ot the liront vehicle Wheels Alelerriug: to Fin'. l, the pipe lll troni the exhaust inaniilold is iirovided with branehes and G25; one leading lo a puinp which. aa .iudieated at Gli, may be a familiar type ol hand actuated plunger pump`r and Jthe,

other leading to :i valve ivheh, as indicated at (3:1 may be the itannhar type ot nipple Asueh as employed in attaching' a eoin- 4d air hos-1e to a garage, eonipreeor or zu; earried by a tire to permit the diseharge end olE .auch a hose to be applied to inflate a tire.

l'elerrh g to Figs. S and E), the valve 3G :lhown a5 a einnle rotatable plug-member Stil having an ai I `lar pao age therethroukrl'i ineludinh lege i3@ and 1236, the leg' l o being; L-ehaped lo provide a veotibule ook pero to nl.

ll either trout vehiele wheel is to be relieved ol the vehicle load, say for a road repair or lor travel to the nearest garage, the entire front axle in li'l'ted by the jaeli F, aa even it the vehiele is thus to travel, it ,may be eteered `lroni the wheel 1S as already explained.

Il, however, it is a rear vehicle wheel which is to be elevated, only the jael; R or L adjacent to that wheel is employed; so as to leave at least one rear Wheel in road eontaet :for traction. No nratler *which Wheel or Wheels are to be thus elevated by employing a jack or a plurality ol jacks,

the operator al 'aye nlnet employ the actuator A, to elet-1e the valve (5U .in the niuil'ler diaeharge pipe li' thereby to :shut the various eonduit and ronduit branizhes againet eonnnunieation with the atnniisphere, pre-- paratory to eausing a liael: to start elevating, or even to utilizing` the valve lo as hereinaiter described; and [he operator also muet always employ actuator il, to open the valve G0 in the pipe l?, thereby to open the variouri Conduite and eouduit branches to the atmosphere preparatory to releasing the lluid presure in a jaah or jaehs, as when the tire trouble, has; been rolnedied.

ll'hrn a trout tire trouble is to be attended tin the engine is Started running or kept running, but the eluteh is maintained oui or ha thrown out. Next, the operator employs actuator A to close valve 60, and then enipioy` aetuator il to swing the jack down lo vertical position under front axle lil lient, he turn` the control valve handle, shown al: 3G in Fig. l, to the proper inde?L (not Shown), tlierehy arrangingv the valve parte i hown in llinl l). 'lChereupoLn the exhaust are admitted into the inlialahle bug within the :liront jack; and the jarh ie permitted to expand until the iront vehicle wheels y" are rais-ted say a eouple of i'iuhes ahove the roadway. Then that Londition ie attained, valve ineinber 36h is; -n'iovod in the direction ol the arrow in Fig. l) lhrougfh about the angle, C", which thereupon eier-:ee the valve Elo to the bag,- in the liront jar-li. And non' the 'liront jaeli will hold the -iront vehicle wheels elevated as last Stated, as lone; an deaired; so that the engine may be shut oli, or, iit itis deSired. to steer the -ar during` willingT travel from one point to another, aetuator il@ may be employed to open valve il() in discharge pipe lo and the engine left running, the eluteh thrown ,in and the gear shift aetuated as uouah and Steering zu'eoinpliehed through wheel. lll and the fork-and-liaii joint ehmvn in lfigg. (l.

Yln the naine wayR when a rear lire ie to be repaired,the rear jiaeli: il or L lowered lo vertical or working' pos-'itiiin by moans oi aeluaiiir il" or il". ihein the valve haudle 23o in turned and the valve nieniber Sli" ii-i arranged ae fafhorvn in Fife'. 8, iit it is jack L whieh is to have ile in'llatable bag expanded, or Such handle iii turned until the vestibule 23h in opposite the conduit 35 and the le.;T 13h oppor-ate the Conduit alomg if it is; jaek l?. which if-t to have its bag` expanded. .find 1die press-iure olf the said bag7 oueo it has built up' to that desired, may be held as; long as required hy slightly shiftinel the valve ineinber, this tiine in a direction opiiosite to that oi? the arrow shown in l1 S). hut through about the saine angle as that indicated at Cf in Fie'. S), whether it is the jaelr R or the 'jack L Which is being' lll() hoih valves being; adapted lo lie opened simulianeouslv therebyY to relierel the pressure oi. the exhaust gases in said chamber.

3. The equipment deiined in Claim E2. wherein means are provided for operating the seeond valve from the drirers position.

ik The equipment defined in claim 2, wherein means are provided :for operating either *alve at Will 'from the drivers position.

5i An equipment AIi'or an automotive vehiele haringa an internal Combustion engine, eomprisine, in eomliinarion with the conu duitI for the normal discharge to The atmosphere of the exhaust gases from said engine, a normall)v open valve in said Conduit to permit said Conduit to discharge to the atmosphere during ordinary running of the engine, a plurality of luid pressure operated jacks, eaeh such jaeli having a fluid. pressure ehainher, fluid pressure conveying means opening into said Conduit at a point between the engine and said valve, and a normalliv closed valve means assoeiai'ed Wii'h said fluidpressure eonif'eyingg; means, said .i u id pressure conveyingmeans including a plurality of connections eaeh leading 'o a different one oif said chambers, and said normally closed valve means being operable relative io anyv partieular one of said eonneeiions i'o make the same eileetive to open connection between a pi'irtieular one of said ehamhers and said conduit, when i'he normallbY open ialre closed as Well. as when i'he same is open7 said normali)7 open valve heine; adaptu ed lo he closed at will.

lll-MLU? M. KRANTZ. 

